In an AP interview, COVID-19 coordinator Dr. Ashish Jha said Americans’ immune protection from the virus is waning, warning that booster doses for most people will be necessary — with the potential for enhanced protection from a new generation of shots.
Also, speaking of a need provide vaccination assistance to other nations, Jha cast the urgency in terms of the benefits to Americans, even if they never travel overseas.
Here in the U.S., Biden requested $22.5 billion in emergency funding for the virus response in March, but the money has been held up, first by sticker-shock in Congress and now amid wrangling over expiring pandemic-era migrant restrictions at the U.S.-Mexico border. “If we had the resources we’d be there having those conversations today,” said Jha. “The window is really closing on us if we want to be in the front of the line.”
Jha said there is “no viable alternative path” right now than to have the U.S. government take the lead in securing COVID-19 vaccines and treatments, rather than allowing the commercial market deal with procurement as with other medical treatments. He cited the global mismatch between supply and demand.“We have to have the US government still playing an active role,” he said. “That role will change over time. But right now that’s still critical.
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